A callous person or attitude is cruel, uncaring, and shows no concern for others whatsoever.

A catatonic person is in a state of suspended action, and therefore is rigid, immobile, and unresponsive.

To cogitate about something is to think deeply about it for a long time.

Cognitive describes those things related to judgment, memory, and other mental processes of knowing.

Corporeal means relating to the physical or material world rather than the spiritual; corporeal also means characteristic of the body, rather than the mind or feelings.

When you envisage something you imagine or consider its future possibility.

If someone is impassive it means that she is not showing any emotion.

Something inanimate is dead, motionless, or not living, that is, it does not display the same traits as an active and alive organism.

If an idea or thought is incisive it is expressed both clearly and briefly, and demonstrates real understanding of related issues.

When something is inert it has no power of movement or is inactive.

Something that is latent exists but is not active or has not developed at the moment, but may develop or become active in the future.

When you are listless you lack energy and interest, and are unwilling to exert any effort.

If you describe something as moribund you imply that it is no longer effective; it may also be coming to the end of its useful existence.

Someone is obtuse when he or she is slow to understand things, or deliberately does not try to figure things out.

Someone who demonstrates perspicacity notices or understands things very quickly.

A state of quiescence is a state of quiet and restful inaction.

A sagacious person is wise, intelligent, and has the ability to make good practical decisions.

A savant is a person who knows a lot about a subject either via a lifetime of learning or by considerable natural ability.

If you are somnolent you are sleepy.

Something soporific makes you feel sleepy or drowsy.

Stasis is a state of little change over a long period of time.

Stupor is a state in which the mind and senses are dulled and you are unable to think clearly or act normally, usually due to the use of alcohol or drugs.

If your body is affected by torpor, you lack energy and are therefore idle, and can even be numb.

When you are vigilant you are keenly watchful, careful, or attentive to a task or situation.

You need to enable Javascript to get the best out of this site. Please :-).

Adj.

sentient

SEN-shuhnt

Context

Even though he was blindfolded in the game, Jake was sentient or aware enough to figure out everyone’s location. As he moved carefully around the room, Jake’s sentient and alert sense of hearing helped him isolate his friends’ positions. They were all surprised that Jake was so responsive, knowing, and sentient as to win the entire game of “Blind Man’s Bluff.”

Quiz:Try again!
When is someone sentient?

When that person or being is able to compensate for the loss of sight.

When that person or being is able to feel physical and emotional sensations.

When that person or being wisely uses patience, for instance, to win a game.

Memory Hook

PatientSensation The tree seemed sentient to me, as if it were somehow patiently sensing and even enjoying the beauty of nature around it!

Examples

That wasn’t a requirement, but if an organism can learn and use our language then it is definitely to be considered sentient and therefore it is entitled to equal citizenship in the Union of Peoples.
—Newsvine

Looking at the point of view of the sentient being who is afflicted by the cruelty of another, it may well be that cruelty toward an animal is worse than cruelty to a human.
—The Washington Post

All sentient beings are thought to have the same, equally valuable inner Buddha nature, and all can progress to liberation and enlightenment.
—The Washington Post

'The ethical argument is that you should not use sentient creatures to our purposes unnecessarily,' said Dr. John J. Pippin, a Dallas cardiologist affiliated with group.
—Los Angeles Times

Word Ingredients

A sentient being “is in a state of feeling, sensing, perceiving, or noticing” its surroundings.

Word Theater

Dilbert If Dupeys are sentient beings, they should not be used as a pizza topping.

The panel shows a small video clip of either the word in actual use or a scene that represents the meaning of a word. This not only breaks up the monotony of studying words but also provides another avenue to strengthen word meaning. Enjoy!

Word Constellation

Click for an interactive map of this word

Related Words

cogitate ·

cognitive ·

envisage ·

incisive ·

perspicacity ·

sagacious ·

savant ·

vigilant ·

callous ·

catatonic ·

corporeal ·

impassive ·

inanimate+ ·

inert ·

latent ·

listless ·

moribund ·

obtuse ·

quiescence ·

somnolent ·

soporific ·

stasis ·

stupor ·

torpor ·

Similar sense

Opposite sense

Word Variants

sentience
n

→

awareness; consciousness

The section lists important variants and alternate definitions of the headword. Knowing variants will often help you both remember and understand the word. Not all variants are listed - only the ones we think that are important for you to know.